Her parents were baptized there. She was baptized there, and she watched all three of her children's baptisms, communions and confirmations in the building.

Her grandparents lived across the street when the building went up, and now, she's there as it's coming down.

The church closed in 2010, and the Diocese of Scranton is demolishing the building this week. The property will now be put up for sale by the parish, said Diocese of Scranton spokesman Bill Genello. Any sales would have to be submitted to the diocese's bishop for approval.

Boyle wanted to pay tribute to the place that has seen so many of the neighborhood's special occasions, so she hired a bagpiper to visit the site Wednesday. Family and neighbors gathered to pray and share memories. The bagpiper was a tribute to the church's Irish heritage, she said.

"I think we need to not lose faith over this," said Boyle, 58, of Wilkes-Barre. "Much like when the parishes closed. I view it as almost a strengthening, we just continue to worship and be glad for what we had and what our ancestors had."

Most of the building was rubble Thursday, but the facade and bell towers remained for at least another day.

The church was built in 1921, said its former caretaker, Greg Day, 64, of Wilkes-Barre.

Day lives a block away from the church. He was a caretaker at Blessed Sacrament and two other nearby churches, all of which have closed. The parish handyman had a long list of duties.

"Anything you can think of, you can put down. I did it," he said.

Day's work included small electrical and plumbing jobs, cleaning, decorating for holidays and hiring contractors. He was one of many volunteers who helped organize church bazaars. When his own church, St. John the Baptist, closed, he began attending Mass at Blessed Sacrament.

Day now works at the St. Benedict Parish in the city's Parsons section, which absorbed the three closed Miners Mills parishes.

Day says it's not the building he'll miss.

"The Masses made the church," he said.

He said he loves his work and the appreciation he gets from parishioners.

"My wife razzed me. She said I spent more time with the old ladies than with her," Day said of his working hours at the churches. "It was true."

Michelle Rogan, 53, lives near the site of the former church. Her children received sacraments there and were altar servers.

"I think it's really sad, it's sad to see it go," she said. "It's a neighborhood church. So many people who grew up with it are still here. I think that is why it's missed by a lot of people."

bwellock@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2051, @CVBillW

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.